The food on the table was swept clean as if by a storm—nothing was left. Even Lin Dachun, who had been too timid to keep reaching for dishes, ended up eating until he was burping.
After the meal, Lin Hongying looked at Lin Zhuer with a beaming smile.
“Our family has good news this year. Zhuer placed fifth in the entire county on the high school entrance exam and got admitted.”
“Auntie said before—if anyone in our family gets into high school, there will be a reward.”
As she spoke, she pulled out a dark brown five-yuan note from her pocket and handed it to Lin Zhuer.
Sun Xiaoyun’s gaze was so fixed on the money it was practically burning a hole through it. She quickly nudged Lin Zhuer.
Lin Zhuer stood up and accepted it. “Thank you, Aunt.”
“Study hard in high school. Try to find a job in the county in the future.”
On the other side, Lin Yongshun was clearly envious. He kicked Lin Erxia lightly under the table. Erxia shot her father a glare, then turned and spoke up.
“Aunt, I also got into high school. Just… not as well as Zhuer. I barely made it.”
As soon as Lin Erxia spoke, Lin Hongying’s smile froze for a moment. Her eyes flicked over Chen Shi’s face, then her smile widened again.
“Oh my, how could I forget my fifth niece? Erxia takes after my third brother’s cleverness.”
She took out another five yuan and handed it to Lin Erxia. Erxia immediately broke into a bright smile and said loudly,
“Thank you, Aunt!”
Lin Hongying grew even more delighted.
“Our family has double happiness this year—there’s no family more blessed than ours.”
“In the future, all of you study well. Come visit Aunt when you have time. If you’re not used to staying at the county school, you can stay at Aunt’s house.”
“As long as you study hard—even if your grandparents can’t afford it, Aunt will pay for you.”
She said the last sentence jokingly. Lin Dayong’s deep voice came from the side:
“The children of the Lin family don’t need you to pay. And they don’t need to stay at your place either—just let them stay at school. The county isn’t exactly peaceful, and this is simpler.”
Because of the ongoing political movement, the country’s overall education level had declined. Although Pingyao County was remote and less affected, the county town was still unstable.
In contrast, the villages below were much calmer.
Lin Hongying didn’t insist. She understood the situation and sighed.
“Alright, let them stay wherever they want. Staying at school is indeed safer. I was even thinking of letting Xiaodong and Xiaoxi board at school too.”
She looked at Ye Shangdong and Ye Shangxi.
“The two of them can walk together—it’s safer. And their school isn’t far from your home anyway. What’s there to worry about?”
Chen Shi took the chance to comfort her.
“I’m just worried about their studies. The school is always busy with slogan-shouting and doesn’t focus on teaching. It’s even worse this year. I just hope the two of them can study well, get into high school, and won’t have to go down to the countryside later.”
These days, urban children were required to go to the countryside to support development. The educated youths in their village were examples—but that kind of life was far from easy, especially for city kids who had never done farm work.
Ye Shangdong and Ye Shangxi knew what their mother was worried about and tried to reassure her.
“Mom, I’m tall. I’m not afraid of doing hard labor.”
Lin Hongying sighed. They were still children—they hadn’t seen how much those sent-down youths suffered. This wasn’t something that could be solved with just physical strength. Sometimes, families wouldn’t even see each other for years.
“What’s there to worry about? We’ll deal with it when the time comes. Xiaodong and Xiaoxi are still young. If it really comes to that, I’ll talk to the village chief and have them assigned here as educated youths. With our family watching over them, what’s there to worry about?”
Lin Dayong assured her.
Only then did Lin Hongying feel a bit relieved, and the worry on her face eased.
“With Dad here, what do I have to worry about? All us siblings were raised under you and Mom’s care—there’s no one better than you two.”
Lin Erxia knew that around 1977, the college entrance examination would be reinstated. At that time, many educated youths would return to the cities, and there would no longer be a need to send them down to the countryside.
This year was 1970—seven years away.
Ye Shangdong was thirteen this year and would start his first year of middle school. The system was two years of middle school and two years of high school—four more years in total. If the policy remained, he would still likely be sent down.
Ye Shangxi was ten, just in time to catch the restored college entrance exams. He wouldn’t have to worry.
“Aunt, when the time comes, you could just find a job for Xiaodong. Then he wouldn’t need to go to the countryside.”
Lin Hongying sighed. She had thought the same, but her family wasn’t wealthy. If they spent everything to secure a job for the eldest, they would drain their savings—what about the second child?
Still, she didn’t say that out loud.
“That’s why your two younger brothers need to learn from you. If they get into high school in the future, it’ll be easier to find jobs.”
This midday meal had stretched on for quite a while, but it finally came to an end. The plates were exceptionally clean—corn flatbreads had been used to wipe them several times. Not a drop of oil could be wasted.
Cleaning up the dishes naturally fell to Second Aunt and Zhao Lanhua, with help from Lin Erhua and Lin Dachun. Lin Erxia also went over smiling to help.
Lin Hongying had originally wanted to lend a hand, but Chen Shi stopped her. Since she also had something to ask, she stayed.
Lin Yongshun’s eyes burned as he stared at Lin Erxia’s pocket. Without even wiping the oil from his mouth, he strolled out of the courtyard with his hands behind his back.
Lin Hongying and Chen Shi went to the old couple’s room. After making sure no one was around, Lin Hongying hurriedly spoke:
“Mom, what’s going on? Why didn’t you tell me Erxia also got into high school? I thought only Zhuer did. Luckily I had enough money on me—otherwise I would’ve been so embarrassed.”
Chen Shi looked pained.
“You had to give it in front of everyone. You could’ve just secretly given it to Zhuer. Then you wouldn’t have had to spend another five yuan. Do you know how much that could buy?”
Lin Hongying was frustrated that her mother still hadn’t grasped her point.
“Mom, tell me the truth. Otherwise I’ll go ask Third Brother myself—what exactly is going on with Erxia getting into high school?”
At the mention of Lin Yongshun, Chen Shi felt a headache coming on. He was the type who didn’t care about saving face at all. She quickly grabbed Lin Hongying’s hand.
“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you everything.”
She went on to recount how Lin Erxia had smashed pots and bowls, and how she had openly talked back to the whole family afterward—adding plenty of exaggeration along the way.
But Lin Hongying knew her mother well enough. She quickly pieced together what had really happened and grew angry.
“Mom, why did you stop Erxia from going to high school? If she studies, Third Brother’s family could have someone who makes something of herself and helps support them. That’s such a good thing—how can you not see that? Dad was muddle-headed too.”
Chen Shi stammered,
“I… I just didn’t want to spend the money. This year we still have to prepare for Yuliang’s marriage, and the other two girls are already grown…”
“No matter what, you shouldn’t have wronged Third Brother’s child for Big Brother’s family. Aren’t you just stirring up conflict between them?”
Not to mention letting Zhuer attend high school while stopping Erxia—it was blatant favoritism, practically sowing discord. And since it was their own parents doing it, the relationship between the eldest and third branches would only worsen. If she were Third Brother, she would feel wronged too.
Provided by the author Zhu Lin Luoyu